After going through various dramas and exciting conflicts throughout the season, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton's rivalry in the 2021 season is one of the tightest in Formula 1 history.
Of course, their competition this year is arguably the tightest as both Verstappen and Hamilton have the same points before the final race in Abu Dhabi F1 2021 begins.
The same points of both of them also make the Abu Dhabi F1 2021 battle even hotter. Arguably, whoever will occupy a more advanced position in this race at Yas Marina, will become the 2021 F1 champion.
Not only about the finishing position, but even failing to finish can also determine who the title goes to.
Therefore, if one of them fails to score points or does not finish, the title will go to the other.
It's worth noting that, given his nine wins this season, Verstappen would have won the title even if he and Hamilton both DNF (Did Not Finish).
Hence, reflecting on the incidents that have occurred this season, failing to finish is also included in the title race scheme with a considerable possibility.
In the past, the title was also often decided by a driver's non-finish.
Or to put it crudely, a driver will try to make his rival fail to finish in order to win the title.
Learning from Schumacher's Cases
In the 1997 season, the rivalry between Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve.
After a tight race from the start of the season, Schumacher came into F1 Europe with just a one-point lead over Villenuve.
Both riders looked equally strong from practice to qualifying, and even the race was very tight.
In qualifying, Villeneuve and Schumi recorded exactly the same time.
However, because Villenueve set the first time, he was entitled to pole position while Shumacher started second.
Schumacher made a good start and took over the lead from the start.
Unfortunately for Schumi, the son of legend Gilles Villeneuve was also very fast and consistently maintained his position and speed.
Heading into those final 20 laps at Jerez, Villeneuve had an overtaking opportunity at the Dry Sac corner.
Schumi, who was already under pressure, suddenly changed his racing line to close the space, resulting in a collision.
The seven-time world champion appeared to have deliberately crashed into Villenuve to secure his position.
Both cars suffered minor damage, with Villeneuve on the inside able to continue racing.
Schumacher, meanwhile, was stuck in the gravel and could not continue his run.
The title went to the Canadian.
Not stopping there, Schumi had wanted to protest so that Villeneuve was punished for the incident.
But Ross Brawn, who was in the Ferrari with Schumi at the time, prevented the driver's anger, then provided footage of the incident until Schumi was silenced because the evidence pointed to him.
Brawn, who is now F1 Sporting Director, has the courage to admit that Schumi was at fault at that time.
Uniquely, the FIA, which was too furious with Schumi at that time, made a hearing by hearing all the testimony, and after two weeks finally disqualified Schumi from the entire 1997 season championship.
So the Ferrari driver is also not entitled to the runner-up position and the overall points earned during the 1997 season.
Now this incident can be a warning for Verstappen and Hamilton.
But Schumacher also got away with something similar in 1994 in the series finale against Damon Hill.
The difference was that Schumacher was still slightly ahead at the time of the crash so the racing line had not really become Hill's.
This was a consideration for not being penalized, plus Schumacher was also DNF.
Schumacher was thrown into the wall during the crash, while Hill continued to try to drive to the pits but the damage to his car was too severe to DNF.
Despite both DNFs, Schumi, who was already 1 point ahead, won his first title, which he won with Benetton.
The title was so controversial that the young Schumacher was scorned by many.
Especially against Damon Hill, who was a Williams team driver who had a lot of fans at the time.
Not to mention the fact that that year Williams had just lost Ayrton Senna who died a few races earlier.
Hill and the Williams team both agreed not to prolong the matter as they were still mourning Senna's passing.
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